First thing to do to a new PB?

I'm just starting up on the mac scene after years on windows and a couple of years on linux. What's the best thing to do once i get the PB? A good friend of mine suggested running the program from here:

Register it with Apple, that should have been first. Removing the languages is good, gives you back some space. Get a Divx player, either Mplayer or vlc and maybe install the codec for quicktime, but quicktime can't play all files so its good to have one of the two mentioned above. Get UnrarX for the .rar files.

Buy iLife and start producing anything media you want. Get Xcode and start making programs.

Openoffice is good, not native but better price than the full version of MS Office X. Seems like that is all the basic person needs.

Your PB will have most of the stuff you will need, and, if it's new, will have iLife '04 with it. Get more RAM from somewhere cheap like crucial.com - I have 768MB RAM and it runs like a dream, even with 12 programs open.

You may want to get MacJanitor, a freeware program (get from Version Tracker) that runs UNIX cron scripts for you (because your Mac may not always be on when it's scheduled to them). This keeps your system in tip-top shape.

Other than that, you're good to go. It's worth downloading RealOne and Windows Media Player for whenever you stumble across those codecs. I have MS Office, as well as OpenOffice, and I much prefer the Microsoft version, but then I got it discounted (student) and I have no experience of Linux, etc.

And if you miss Minesweeper and Solitaire from Windows, there are nice freeware ones available (e.g. Aqua Mines).

In the end, it's up to you, but UnrarX isn't necessary for decompressing .rar files - Stuffit Expander (when updated to Stuffit Standard by downloading from stuffit.com?) can decompress RAR archives. If you need to create RAR archives, you'll need a command-line tool from RARLAB. You'll need to open the Terminal to run it.

In the end, it's up to you, but UnrarX isn't necessary for decompressing .rar files - Stuffit Expander (when updated to Stuffit Standard by downloading from stuffit.com?) can decompress RAR archives. If you need to create RAR archives, you'll need a command-line tool from RARLAB. You'll need to open the Terminal to run it.

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stuffit wil not decompress ALL rar files. actually, i have never had it successfully decompress one for me. unrarX works every time for me.

stuffit wil not decompress ALL rar files. actually, i have never had it successfully decompress one for me. unrarX works every time for me.

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That's strange - I've never had trouble decompressing RAR files with Stuffit Standard v8.02 (or any prior version, for that matter). If Stuffit gave me trouble with a particular RAR file, I'd use the command-line tool I mentioned earlier - it's the official RAR compressor/decompressor. I believe that that command-line tool is used as the back-end for unrarX, which was far from perfect when I tried it (it couldn't create RAR archives, only decompress them).

First thing you should do it make sure you have a suitable bag to carry it around it. The second is find a place to use it at home on a desk. Somewhere where you won't have to worry about cords getting caught on your feet or leg when walking away.

{Flashback} So I wasn't too smart about watching out for the cords and the powercord tangled around my right foot as i was walking away from my desk and pulled the powerbook with it, which ended up landing on a concrete floor. The casing around the power plug on the computer was dented in and also bent the circle metal part on the power adapter. It also probably led to the death of the LCD which apple fixed.{/end Flashback}

I have alrady pre-empted that i'll need more ram,and got 512 on its way from crucial as we speak - cost me 90 quid :O (US$150!!)

I can get office under the student license, but i don't really want to pay for office programs unless i have to - as i rarely do much stuff apart from the odd essay

Jee

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I've just checked the RAM prices at crucial for my 12" PB. It seems that they have gone up recently to £78 (inc VAT) for 512MB 2100 RAM. I purchased for £74 in January, but last month they were £61. Guess it fluctuates quite a bit, desipte a general downward trend with time. The 1GB module for mine has gone up to £250 from £180.

I've just checked the RAM prices at crucial for my 12" PB. It seems that they have gone up recently to £78 (inc VAT) for 512MB 2100 RAM. I purchased for £74 in January, but last month they were £61. Guess it fluctuates quite a bit, desipte a general downward trend with time. The 1GB module for mine has gone up to £250 from £180.

the only extra programs i need (truly need for work purposes are) File buddy, mplayer, audacity, audio hyjack and Kismac. (this list does not include any speciality programs that the usual user would not or never need to use)

one thing that I always do is to partiotn the hard drive -- I like to have two partitions, both with a system on it, that way I'm covered if one starts to misbehave --- one has a reduced system on it and the rescue apps.

someone said that this was spyware, but i though this didn't exist on theMac? I have it also to listen to the BBC stations and PBS (This American Life) - is there an alternative?

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Not that i know of, i have done my best not to touch real audio. Try a google search. There is some forms of spyware on a mac the most obvious is cookies, so i don't use them unless i have to and then i delete them. I also watch my outgoing traffic and notice sometimes (when no applications are running) that my computer connects via http to an ip... so i ban that ip, this could be a result of spyware.

get a program that automatically runs cron stuff for you. going into the terminal is kind of a pain (at least for me, i know some of you take personal pride in using the terminal). MacJanitor is good. I use Cocktail... i even paid for it, which is rare in itself. but yeah, you should take my advice as it will help in the long run... ALOT.

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